Is Drake the Reason Serena Williams Didn't Win the US Open?

Drake at the US Open / Screenshot via Twitter

This weekend, Serena Williams had a chance to make tennis history by becoming the first tennis player—male or female—to win a Grand Slam since 1988. For non-tennis aficionados, that means winning the sport's four major tournaments—the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open—in the same calendar year. Serena was two match victories away from securing that title. But there was one thing that her training regimen leading up to the US Open clearly didn't account for: She reportedly started dating noted sports lover and fitness enthusiast Drake before the tournament began. Moments ago, Italian player Roberta Vinci beat her to advance to the US Open final. Coincidence? Not at all.

Blame Drake.

Drake is sports kryptonite. From his enthusiastic endorsement of college quarterback prodigy Johnny Manziel to his locker room camaraderie with University of Kentucky basketball to his friendship with legendary Chelsea striker Didier Drogba to his role as a global ambassador for the Toronto Raptors, Drake has shown an affinity for successful athletes. His friendship also seems to have done them no favors.

The #DrakeCurse of 2015 is so real. pic.twitter.com/80q6Pmcjde

— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) September 11, 2015

Since Drake brought Manziel into the OVO fold (most notably via his song "Draft Day") Manziel's NFL career has floundered. Earlier this year, Manziel checked himself into rehab in hopes of getting his lifestyle and career back on track.

Kentucky, a basketball program that seemed unstoppably good, began to stumble seemingly as soon as Drake got involved. After winning the NCAA championship in 2012, they sent Drake a championship ring to thank him for his support. They haven't brought home a championship since, although Drake has showed up to shoot a few airballs with them in the mean time.

Drogba, long considered one of the greatest players on one of the EPL's best teams, struck up his friendship with Drake and now not only does he play in the MLS, (specifically in—where else?—Canada), he's become a shell of his former self, landing in the news this summer for a video in which he let Drake score on him.

Continued below…

And the Raptors made it to the playoffs right away under Drake's ambassadorship, but he became the joke of the 2014 playoffs by sparking lint roller memes and #FondueGate—before flying to New York to get made fun of and watch his team lose.

Now Serena, who Drake has been publicly thirsting after for close to half a decade, has fallen prey to his curse. Since the 2011 tweet where Drake professed his interest in sweating with Serena, she's kept him at bay and her career has flourished. She's racked up a literally unprecedented number of major tournament wins. She's almost unequivocally considered the greatest athlete of her generation. And now, she has to put up with this:

Drake at US Open pic.twitter.com/GBcOhKj14w

— ovo_fans_ovo (@ovo_fans_ovo) September 11, 2015

this how u clap for your girl @MeekMill RT @CorkGaines: Drake, scowl-clapping master pic.twitter.com/OShzXBIJtF

— Young Black Jesus (@zekNcashe) September 11, 2015

What's going on here? What does Drake have on his ear? Why does he clap like that? Was there ever any hope for Serena? Even the best athlete in the world can't overcome applause that corny. US Open ticket prices are literally falling as we write this. RIP Serena. You had a good run. As someone once said, make sure you hit him with the pre-nup, then tell that man to ease up. The ball is, uh, in your court. Hope you're keeping score. Drake, look what you've done.

Follow Noisey on Twitter.